Nicolas Groffman

About me

If you’re doing business with anyone outside the UK, I’m the person to speak with to make it happen easily and reduce the risk for your business. I’m passionate about helping people from different cultures work together to achieve something greater than would have been possible by themselves.

I work to provide political and commercial solutions as well as legal ones, and assist my clients in real time – no matter what time zone they’re in. In particular, I specialise in helping companies that want to work with businesses in China, getting deals done while spotting any potential dangers. I work with a vast range of businesses across the globe and if you’re looking to take the leap to work internationally, I can provide strategic, cost-effective advice.

If the risk can’t be sufficiently minimised when working with an international business, I’ll be open with you and I’ll tell you what is best for your business, no matter what stage the deal is at.

Tremendous support for an Independent School

The relationship with us goes back a long way, and the service HCR provides in the more ‘traditional’ areas such as employment and education remains first-rate. But what has been especially pleasing is the way that, as our ambitions and vision have broadened, so too has HCR’s ability to support us on our journey. Of course I’m thinking in particular about our international plans and discussions – it’s no exaggeration to say that we couldn't have come as far as we have without your tremendous support, expertise and sage advice. As you know, we still have a long way to go, but the guidance and service you’ve provided so far has been fantastically positive and we are very grateful to you. Thanks. An Independent School client

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My Awards

The Legal 500

Top Tips & FAQs

Discover my top tips

Don’t miss a good opportunity due to lack of trust – caution is an important instinct, but excessive caution is detrimental if unjustified.

Be bold enough to work internationally, but don’t be naive – slow down and do your due diligence properly.

Communication is the key to a successful cross-border business deal. If you’re not getting your message across, find someone who can.

Read questions I'm frequently asked

How much will you charge me?

It depends on the nature of your enquiry, but we are the most cost-effective firm for overseas work and we make it clear how much our expertise will cost from the outset.

We’re happy with the counter party we’re working with – can you just run a quick check to confirm they’re OK so we can tick the box for compliance purposes?

If you haven’t done these checks before you engaged them, then the chances are they are not OK. At this point, we’ll need to do some risk management work to make sure everything is above board.

How can I save tax on our group structure when I do business in China?

Tax avoidance shouldn’t be the primary concern at the outset. Focus on getting everything else right first – having a workable, secure commercial structure is very difficult if you have prioritised tax advice first.